The Australian Sailing Team welcomed eleven aspiring Olympians to a 49erFX Experience Camp at Lake Macquarie last week, offering young female sailors a hands-on introduction to high-performance sailing and a clearer picture of what it takes to pursue an Olympic campaign.
The four-day camp is part of Australian Sailing’s commitment to developing high-performance pathways and nurturing the next generation of Olympic sailing talent. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 19 and brought experience from a variety of classes, including 29ers, 13ft skiffs, Waszps and wing foiling. For many, it was their very first opportunity to sail the 49erFX, with sailors rotating between different partners and roles on the water to build their skills and understanding of the Olympic class.
On-water training was complemented by a range of land-based activities designed to introduce the broader demands of high-performance sport. These included land-boat training, physical preparation sessions led by Australian Sailing Team Physiologist Lucy Scott, and a workshop on performing under pressure with NSW Institute of Sport Psychologist Gabi Shore.
The camp was led by 49erFX National Coach Jim Colley OLY and Youth Pathways Head Coach Brady Lowe. Australian Sailing Squad athletes Brooke Wilson and Evie Haseldine OLY joined for the opening two days, spending time on the water with participants and delivering presentations covering different aspects of life inside an Olympic campaign.
Colley said early exposure to the Olympic pathway can help young sailors better understand the transition from youth sailing and what a campaign at the highest level truly involves. “The jump from youth sailing into an Olympic class is a significant one, and I feel one of the biggest challenges is that young sailors don’t necessarily know how to make that step, and then what an Olympic campaign entails once they do,” he explained.
“The idea behind the camp was to give them some exposure to the FX program, not just sailing the boat, but how we train, how we learn and the standards we set ourselves. The goal is that they can take some of those lessons back into their own sailing programs now, while getting a clearer picture of what they need to work towards if they want to campaign in the FX in a few years’ time. It has also created a connection point between themselves and national coaches like myself and Brady, which allows us to help guide and mentor them on the next steps of their sailing journeys.”
Three days of favourable breeze allowed the sailors to maximise their time on the water and put theory into practice. “The feedback so far has been positive, and it was fantastic to see them all interacting and learning so well from each other. Absolutely there are some exciting prospects, and it’s imperative that we keep investing in this space to ensure our young sailors have the chance to progress through the pathway and achieve their sailing aspirations,” Colley added.
By combining practical sailing experience with insights into physical preparation, sports psychology and campaign planning, the Experience Camp gave participants a comprehensive understanding of the standards and opportunities within the Olympic pathway, along with valuable lessons they can carry back to their current sailing programs.
